Loose-leaf binder.



U. G. MALTBY. LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 13, 1905.

' Patented Sept. 21, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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c. 0. MALTBY.

LOOSE LEAF BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13, 1905. Patented Sept. 21,1909. 2 sHB' Ts-SHEET2.

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UNITED sTArgs rggENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C. MALTBY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE TWINLOCKCOMPANY, OF. CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. MALTBY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLoose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in loose-leaf binders andhas for its objectto provide a device of this general character of asimple and inexpensive nature and of a compact, strong and durablestructure which shall be adapted for securely holding the leaves orsheets while being capable of convenient and ready operation to detachsuch leaves or sheets to permit their removal substitution orreplacement and being also capable of a wide degree of adjustability toaccommodate the improved binder for holding a greater or lesser numberor thickness of the loose leaves or sheets.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction,combination and arrangement of the several parts of the improvedloose-leaf binder whereby certain important advantages are attained andthe device is rendered simpler, cheaper and stronger and is otherwisebetter adapted and made more convenient for use, all as will behereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which serve to illustrate myinventionFigure l is a perspective View showing a binder constructedaccording to my invention. (This view is drawn upon a small scale.) Fig.2 is a fragmentary view showing the interior of the back of the improvedbinder, its sides or covers being thrown flat or open and partiallybroken away for lack of space. This view is upon a larger scale andillustrates those portions of the mechanism of the binder which arevisible when the device is opened in the way shown. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the back and sides or covers of the binderin the plane indicated by line aa in Fig. 2. Fig. at is a partialsection taken longitudinally through one end portion of the back of thebinder and showing certain features of the adjusting and locking meanscarried thereby. Fig. 5 is a detached detail view showing one of themetal hinge-strips employed in the con- Specification of Letters Patent.Patented Sept. 21, 1909.

Application filed February 13, 1905.

Serial No. 245,511.

the back of the binder detached, and Fig.

8 is an edge view of the same with one end portion in central section.Fig. 9 is an enlarged partial inside view of the back part of theimproved binder at one end thereof and illustrating the construction andarrangement of the adjusting means for holding the sides or covers inrelation, certain portions of the device being broken out and shown insection for purposes of illustration. Fig. 10 is a'fragmentary endelevation, also partly in section and illustrating the parts shown inFig. 9.

As seen in these views, the back of the binder is made in sectional formand comprises a central body portion 1 herein shown as produced from ametal plate 2 covered over with leather or other suitable material andbent or curved in transverse cross-section so that its rear surfaceshall present the convexity commonly present in the backs of boundvolumes. The back of the improved binder also comprises lateral membersformed from metal plates adjustably held upon opposite edges of the mainor body portion 1 and extended longitudinally along the same andprovided with hinging-strips with which the sides or covers of thebinder have hinge connection as will be hereinafter explained. The metalplates of which said lateral members of the back of the binder areformed are centrally bent to produce portions at right-angles so thateach lateral member has an angular or L-shape in cross-section, and oneof the angular wings of each of said lateral members is extended uponthe inner surface of the main or body portion 1 of the binder-back asshown at 3 on the drawings and has means for guiding it and adjusting itupon said main or body portion, while the other angular wing or portion4 of each of said lateral members is extended forwardly from the planeof said main or body portion and is provided with means for detachablyholding the loose leaves or sheets of the binder and also for connectionof the sides or covers of the binder thereto.

At opposite ends of the binder-back, the lateral members thereof areprovided with telescoping members of rectangular crosssection formingguides or gages for position- Cir ing the loose leaves or sheets heldbetween the sides or covers, one of the telescoping parts as shown at 6being carried upon one of the lateral members of the back and playingendwise within the other part which, as

shown at 7 is carried upon the other lateral member of the back, and therear walls of said telescoping members or parts 6 and 7 at the oppositeends of the binder-back are provided with longitudinally-extended slotsor channels 8 which, when the parts are assembled, are caused to extendtransversely of the binder-back and are adapted to receive guide pins orstuds 9 carried upon guide-plates 10, 10, at opposite ends of the mainor body portion of the back. The pins or projecting studs 9 are headedat their forward ends to prevent them from being disengaged from theslots or channels 8 of the parts 6 and 7.

At the opposite ends of the main or body portion 1 of the binder-backare erected bracket-supports 2 upon the forward surface of said bodyportion and these brackets 2 have supporting surfaces 12 extended alongtheir outer edge portions on which the outer ends of the guide-plates 10are rested flush, screws 11 being provided for the secure attachment ofsaid guide-plates to said bracket-supports, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9.Adjacent to the supporti11gsurfaces 12 of the brackets 2 the forwardsides of said brackets are provided with side bearings 1%, extendedtransversely of the binder-back and separated from said surfaces 12 byoffsets or shoulders 13. The plane in which each bearing-surface 14 isextended is at the rear of the plane in which the adjacent surface 12 isproduced so that in this way there are produced in the rear of therespective guideplates 10, 10, slide-bearings between the same and saidbearing-surfaces lt and in these slide-bearings are adapted to bereceived the end edge portions 15 of the rear angular wings or portions3, 3 of the lateral members of the binder-back, which edge portions 15abut on the offsets or shoulders 13 and are thereby guided for lateralmovement toward curely in position upon said body portion of the back.The opposite sides of the plates 16 are also provided with rearwardly.directed lugs or projections 20, 20 engaged outside the lugs 19, 19 onthe body portion 1 for preventing damage of the screw-connections incase of rough handling of the binder. The arran ement of said ltws orprojections 19 and 20 is clearly shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines inFig. 10. The bearing-plates 16 are also provided, upon their frontsurfaces, with perforated lugs 22 in which screws 21, passed through theguide-plates 10, have screw-engagement for the secure attachment of eachplate 16 to the inner edge portion of the adjacent guideplate 10. Theedges of the wings 3, 3 of the lateral members of the binder-back arecut or notched out as seen at 23 to receive the lug 22.

Upon the bearing-plates 16 are produced shaftbearings 2d alined witheach other and located at the opposite ends of the binderback and insaid bearings is held to turn a shaft 25 extended longitudinally of thebinder-back in the space between the main portion and the wings 3, 3, ofthe lateral members of said back. One end of, said shaft 25 is providedwith a square 23 to receive a key (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. at)whereby the shaft may be turned in reverse directions for adjusting thelateral members toward and from each other and, adjacent to its oppositeends, the shaft 25 is provided with reverse screw-threads 26, 26, whichhave engagement with nuts 27 located at opposite ends of the binder-backand adapted, when the shaft is turned, to be adjusted lengthwise of saidback, toward and from each other being provided with oppositely-directedwings 28, 28, which are adapted, by engagement with the part 2 of theback to prevent turning or twisting movement of said nuts when the shaftis turned. To the opposite wings or extensions 28, 28, of each nut 27are pivotally adapted the inner ends of links 30, 30, the outer ends ofwhich have pivotal-connection as'shown at 31 with the outer ends ofother links 32, the inner ends of which are pivotally-connected with theadjacent bearing-plate 16 as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 9. At thepoint-s'of pivotal-connection 31, of the oppositely arranged links 30and 32 at each end of the binder-back are pivotally connected the inner7 ends of other auxiliary links 33, the outer ends of which havepivotal-connection as shown at 3 1 with the adjacent portions of theflanges or wings 3 of the respective lateral members of the binderback.By this arrangement, it will be uns derstood that when the key isapplied to the squared end 28 of shaft 25 and manipulated to turn saidshaft in one direction, whereby the nuts 27 are moved toward each otherfrom the position shown in Fig. 6, the links 30 and 32 at the oppositesides of each end I portion of the shaft will be moved from the angularposition shown insaid figure to a position in which they are more nearlyalined with the shaft whereby draft will be exerted upon the auxiliarylinks 33 and,

through said auxiliary links, movement will be imparted to the lateralmembers of the binder-back to cause them to be approached toward oneanother. W hen the shaft 25 is reversely turned by reverse manipulationof the key. it is evident that a reverse movement of the parts iseffected. he engagement of the end edge portions 15 of the flanges orwings 3, 3, of the lateral members inthe guide-ways intervening theplates 10 and bearings ll serves to effectively guide the late :11members in their movement so that uniform movement is imparted to theopposite ends of the members. The engagement of the headed pins or studs9 with the slots 8 of the telescoping parts 6 and T at opposite ends ofthe lateral members also serves to guide said members in their movementtoward and from each other.

Upon the forwardly-extended wings or portions 4, r, of the lateralmembers of the binder-back are carried the sheet-holding devices whichas shown in F 2, 3, 4 and 9 areproduced from lengths or sections and 36of metal tubing, the sections being carried on one lateral member andbeing arranged to slide telescopically within the bores of the sections36 which are carried on the other lateral member of the binderback. Theleaves or sheets as seen in Fig. r in dotted lines have rounded openings[0 in which the telescoping sections 35 and 36 are engaged and at theends of the bindingedges of said leaves or sheets 00 are producedangular cut out or notched portions w which fit against the inner andfront faces of the parts or members 6 and T. For the attachment of thesections 35 and 36 to the respective lateral members of the binderback,the means shown in Fig. 9 is preferably employed, said means comprisinglugs 37 having heads bearing on the outer faces of the flanges or wingsof said lateral members and provided with reduced portions which arepassed through perforations in said wings or flanges t and are engagedin the bores of the sections and 36, being traversed by pins or rivets38, the ends of which are passed through the walls of sections 35 and 36whereby secure attachment of said sections to the flanges or wings r iseffected.

39 indicates hingestrips which are extended lengthwise upon the outersurface of the flanges t of the lateral members of the binder-back,being pressed or otherwise formed up from sheet-metal or the like withtransverse braces or reinforces as at their end port-ions and also atsuitable intermediate points, the reinforces l0 at the extremities ofthese hinge-strips being provided with threaded openings all for thereception of screws 42 by means of which the hinge-strips are attachedto the ends of the flanges l. The screws 42 are also passed throughflanges on the ends of casings or parts 6 and 7 for the attachment ofsaid parts or casings to the flanges l of the lateral members as clearlyshown in Fig. 9. The hinge-strips 39 are also provided with centralscrew sockets or lugs l?) in which are engaged short screws 44 passedthrough the central portions of the respective flanges at for furtherattachment of the hingestrips thereto. The screws 4 are indicated indotted lines in Fig. 2. The hinge-strips 39 are covered over withleather or other material as herein shown although, of course, this isin no way essential to the present invention, and the metal from whichsaid strips are produced have openings punched or otherwise formed inthem as indicated at 45, the portions of metal removed in the productionof said openings being pressed outwardly as shown at e6 to producehingelugs which are perforated for the passage of pins or wires 47 whichform pintles whereon the sides or covers are adapted forpivotal-movement in opening and closing of the binder. The hinge-lugs d6are suit ably spaced apart as shown in Fig. 2 and in the hinged edgeportion of each cover or side 50 of the improved binder is embedded asteel or other metal plate 49, the edge portion of which is bent toproduce eyes 48 engaged on the wire or pin 4C7 between the hinge-lugs 46for the secure attachmentof the sides or covers 50 to the hinge-strips39. The leather or other binding-material of the sides or covers 50 is,of course, extended over the plates 4L9 and around the eyes 48 so as tocover and obscure the hingeconnection without interference with a fullextent of movement of said sides or covers upon their hinged-connection.

From the above description it will be evident that the improved deviceis of an extremely simple and lHGXJQIlSlVB nature and of a very compact,strong and durable construction and by reason of its ready adjustability is especially well adapted for use particularly in ledger-sand similar loose-leaf books, the arrangement of the screw shaft and thelinkconnections of its nuts with the lateral members of the binder-backserving for convenient removal of the leaves or sheets when desired. Itwill also be obvious from the above description of my invention that theimproved binder is capable of considerable modification without materialdeparture from the principles and spirit of the invention and for thisreason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the preciseform and arrai'igement of the several parts of the device as herein setforth in carrying out my invention in practice.

*laving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. A loose-leaf binder having a back comnected withone of said nuts and the other link of each pair having connection withthe body portion, and lateral members movable transversely on the bodyportion and having connection with said links.

3. A loose-leaf binder having a back comprising a body portion havingbearings at its ends, a shaft held to turn in the bearings and providedwith screw-threads at opposite ends, nuts engaged on the screw-threadedends of the shaft, links pivotally connected in pairs, one link of eachpair being pivotally connected with one of said nuts and the other linkof each pair having connection with the body portion, lateral membersmovable transversely on the body portion and auxiliary links connectingsaid lateral members with the links of said pairs.

4. A loose-leaf binder having a back comprising a body portion havingbearings at its ends, guide-plates at opposite ends of said body portionand spaced apart therefrom to produce guide-ways transversely extendedacross the same, a shaftheld to turn in the bearings and provided withscrew-threads at opposite ends, nuts engaged on the screwthreaded endsof the shaft, links in pivotally-connected pairs, one link of each pairhaving connection with one of said nuts and the other link of each pairhaving connection with the body portion, and lateral members the ends ofwhich are engaged in the transverse guide-ways of the body portion, saidmembers having connection with the links of said pairs for movementtoward and from each other when the shaft is turned.

5. A loose leaf book back comprising an outside casing, a sectionalcasing provided with telescopic tubes or attaching rods, toggle jointsintermediate of said outside casing and sectional casing, a rotativerod, a threaded collar or sleeve through which said rod is adapted topass, a rigid member having controlling connection with said rod, thetoggle joints being pivotally connected with the threaded collar orsleeve and the rigid memher and having controlling connection with thesectional casing. V

6. A loose leaf book back comprising an outside casing, a sectionalcasing provided with telescopic tubes or attaching rods and ends, saidtelescopic ends provided with slots, toggle joints intermediate of saidoutside casing and sectional casing and having connection therewith, arotative rod having controllable connection with said toggle joints,reinforcing plates provided with- 7. A loose leaf book back comprisingan outside casing, a sectional casing provided with attaching rods,telescopic ends secured to said sectional casing and provided with slotsin their under side, toggle joints intermediate of said outside casingand the sectional casing and having pivotal connection with saidsectional casing, threaded sleeves secured to said toggle joints, athreaded'rod taking through said sleeves, reinforcing plates providedwith studs or pins adapted to take into the slots in the telescopicends, cover members having hinged connection with both parts of saidsectional casing.

8. A loose leaf book back comprising an outside casing whose ends arebent at right angles thereto, a sectional casing adapted to rest uponthe bent ends of the outside casing, attaching rods secured within saidsectional casing, telescopic ends secured within said sectional casingand provided with slots in their under sides, reinforcing plates securedto the right angular ends of the outside casing and provided with pinsor studs adapted to take into the slots in the telescopic ends, togglejoints intermediate of said outside casing and the sectional casing andhaving pivotal connection with the latter, a threaded rod havingoperative connection with said toggle joints whereby upon the turning ofsaid rod the sectional casing is expanded or contracted.

9. A loose leaf book back comprising an outside casing whose ends arebent at right angles thereto and upon itself, one of said ends providedwith an opening therethrough, a sectional casing adapted to rest uponthe right angular ends of the outside casing, telescopic tubes securedwithin and to both parts of said sectional casing, telescopic endssecured to the sectional casing and provided with a slot in the underside, reinforcing plates secured on theright angular ends of the outsidecasing and adapted to extend within the sectional casing and beneath thetelescopic ends, pins or studs on said reinforcing plates adapted totake into the slot in the under side of said telescopic ends, togglejoints secured intermediate of the outside casing and the sectionalcasing and having operativeconnection with the latter, a rotative rod inoperative connecinto the opening in one of said ends of the outsidecasing and cover members having hinged connection with said sectionalcasing.

10. A loose leaf book back comprising an outside casing, a sectionalcasing provided with telescopic tubes or attaching rods, telescopic endssecured Within said sectional casing and provided with a slot in theunder side, reinforcing plates secured to the outside casing andprovided with studs or pins adapted to take into the slot in thetelescopic ends, toggle oints intermediate of the outside casing andsaid sectional casing and having operative connection With the latter, arotative rod having controllable connection with said toggle jointswhereby upon its r0- tation the toggle joints and sectional casing areexpanded or contracted, back members secured to the sides of thesectional casing and having right angular extensions provided withopenings therethrough, cover members having their one side bent uponthemselves and provided With slots in said sides to receive the rightangular extensions of the back members, and pins taking through the bentside of the cover members and the openings in the right angularextensions of the back members to form a hinge.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 3rd day of February, 1905.

CHARLES C. MALTB Y.

l/Vitnesses:

JOHN ELIAS JONES, ARTHUR KLINE.

